ALT Former US Congressman Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Secretly Acting as Agent of Venezuelan Government

ALT “Today’s sentence reinforces a simple rule: foreign influence in America cannot operate in the shadows,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “If you act at the request, direction, or control of a foreign government and engage in covered political activity, you must comply with our disclosure laws. That can include conduct like arranging a meeting with policymakers, lobbying a government official, or promoting a foreign government’s message on social media.

ALT “For a former Congressman from South Florida, this betrayal cuts especially deep. Rivera represented a community shaped by generations of families who fled communist oppression and came to this country seeking freedom. He knew that history. He knew what this community had endured. Yet the jury found that, for millions of dollars, he secretly used the access and relationships entrusted to him to advance the interests of the Maduro regime. Today’s sentence of 10 years is the consequence of that choice. In South Florida, we will aggressively enforce the laws that protect our country and our communities from covert foreign influence.”